County and municipal elections

County and municipal elections 2025

County elections and municipal elections will be held simultaneously in 13 April 2025.

Election day Sunday 13 April 2025
Advance voting in Finland 2–8 April 2025
Advance voting abroad 2–5 April 2025

By casting a vote, you can influence who will decide on important matters that affect the everyday lives of us all for the next four years.

In the county elections, voters will elect representatives for county councils. County councils decide on the organisation and provision of health and social services and rescue services in wellbeing services counties.
In the municipal elections, voters will elect representatives for municipal councils. Municipal councils decide on the activities and finances of municipalities.

Residents of Helsinki will only vote in the municipal elections, because Helsinki does not belong to a wellbeing services county. The City of Helsinki is responsible for health and social services and rescue services in Helsinki.

Who can vote?

In the 2025 county elections, citizens of Finland, other EU Member States, Iceland and Norway who reside in a wellbeing services county and reach the age of 18 years on election day 13 April 2025 at the latest are entitled to vote. Residents of Helsinki do not have the right to vote in the county elections. Other foreigners aged 18 or over living in the welfare area are also entitled to vote if they have lived in Finland continuously for at least two years. See more detailed information on the right to vote.

In the 2025 municipal elections, citizens of Finland, other EU Member States, Iceland and Norway who reside in the municipality in question and reach the age of 18 years on election day 13 April 2025 at the latest are entitled to vote. In addition, other foreigners aged 18 or over living in the municipality are entitled to vote if they have lived in Finland continuously for at least two years.

In addition, other foreign nationals residing in the municipality are entitled to vote in the municipal elections under certain conditions. See more detailed information on the right to vote.

Polling card

If you have the right to vote, a polling card will be sent to you before the elections. Polling cards will be sent by post or electronically via Suomi.fi service. For more information about the service, please see suomi.fi/messagesLink to an external website.

Frequently asked questions

Election quiz

Yle election compass

Average age of councils. In the 2021 municipal elections, the average age of the elected municipal council members was 50.8 years at the time of selection. Only about one-fifth of those elected were under 40 years old, while as many as 29 percent were 60 years or older. The share of young people under 30 in municipal councils was only 5.6 percent. In the first county elections in 2022, the average age of the elected county council members was 51.1 years. The proportion of young people under 30 in county councils was only 4.8 percent. Let’s make sure in the upcoming elections that students' and young people's voices are also heard in decision-making in municipalities and well-being services counties! 💪

Did you know?

Youth voting turnout in previous elections. Youth voter turnout has been low in recent elections. In the 2021 municipal elections, only 35.4% of eligible voters aged 18–24 cast their votes. In the 2022 county elections, this number dropped even further to just 27.1%. Now is the time to change this trend! Vote in the upcoming municipal and county elections! 🗣️

How can you find out who to vote for? Choosing the right candidate can feel difficult, but here are some tips to make your decision easier! 🔍 Use a voting guide – test which candidates best match your values. Voting guides can be found on many media websites (such as Yle, MTV, and Helsingin Sanomat), but also organizations like Nuorisoala ry have published their own youth voting guide. 🗣 Check candidates’ opinions – review party platforms and candidate promises. Many candidates actively share their thoughts on social media. 💬 Ask and discuss – candidates campaign actively, so ask them directly at election events or through social media! Remember, every vote counts! Vote for a candidate who represents your interests and those of other young people. 🗳✨